More people are taking post-partum vacations—after all, who deserves a vacation more than a woman who just had a baby? It’s certainly one good way to use your maternity leave. But traveling with a newborn can be confusing and stressful, so we’ve tracked down some tips and tricks to ease your worries about flying with new babies.

Is Flying Safe for an Infant?

This is the most important thing to know before purchasing your tickets. According to the Mayo Clinic, the answer is yes; you both can fly. There are certain things to consider before catching that plane, though. If possible, you should refrain from flying within the first 6 weeks of the baby’s birth because newborns are most sensitive to germs at this age.

After 6 weeks, there are still other things to consider, particularly your baby’s ears. Flying causes pressure changes in the ears, which causes pain and inevitably, crying. To help ease your infant’s pain (and your neighbor’s) try giving them a bottle or pacifier during takeoff and landing, which will give the ear pressure a way to release.

Another thing to consider is HOW your baby will fly. Although most airlines approve of infants being held and on your lap, it is safer for the baby to be in a safety seat for the entirety of the flight. Make sure your baby’s safety seat is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration before you load up and travel to the airport. It should be marked with an FAA-Approved sticker on the seat.    

More Tips for Traveling

Six tips from the travel gurus behind FlyingWithKids.com:

• You should always allow plenty of time for checking in. Having a baby in tow can make the process more complicated and time consuming.
• Once checked in, ask about the capacity of your flight. If there are open seats, ask to be placed next to one to allow you and baby more room.
• Always be sure to board first and exit last. No need to feel rushed!
• If you need to change your baby during the flight, ask the flight crew. Often they will help set up the changing table in the bathroom.
• Be sure your carry-on doubles as a diaper bag. Pack diapers, wipes, baby food, toys, and disposable bibs. If you pack toys, pull them out of the bag for your child one at a time. This maximizes their entertainment value!
• If traveling as a family, consider splitting up mom and dad. This allows one parent to entertain the kids while the other can rest.

For all you fashion-forward moms, three invaluable fashion tips:

• If you’re breast-feeding, travel with a scarf or a shawl to allow you to be discrete about feedings.
• Wearing multiple layers allows you to remove clothing when the inevitable “spills” happens.
• New products offer stylish travel options without looking like diaper bags. Check out the Paseo Packs (pictured above) two-in-one baby carrier and diaper bag that snaps apart.

Don’t be afraid to go on a vacation with your infant! After all, you definitely earned it.